Buttonhole sewing machinfc



5.9. RAY

BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE Filed Aug.

April 29 1924.

April 29 1924.

E. ,1. RAY

BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE [aerator heet 2 Jaw/M Filed Aug. 20

Wfn ss April 29, 1924. 1,492,084

E. J. RAY

BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE Filed Aug. 20 917 1 Sheets-Sheet 5 E. J. RAY

'BUTTQNHOLE SEWING MACHINE Filed Aug. 20 1917 0 g; Winess Q wenzor 5 1/ My g 5? 47 4/ 1/1 W yumzdm w April 29 1924. 1,492,084

E. J. RAY

BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE Filed Aug. 20 1917 12 Sheets-Sheet 5 QM I zmzzwm April 29, 1924. 1,492,084

' E. J. RAY

BUTTONHOLE S EWI NG MACHINE Filed Au 20 1917 12 Shets-Sheet 6 April 29 E. J. RAY

BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE l2 Shets-Sheet 8 Filed Aug. 20

e55 @M/%W4 Ami?" 29 1924. 1,492,084

' E. J. RAY

BUTTONHOLB SEWING mourns,

Filed An 20. 1917 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 April 29', 1924.

1 sheets sheet 10 E; J. RAY

BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE Filed Aug. 20 1917 E. J. RAY

BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE April 29 1924.

Filed Aug. 20 1917 12 SheetS -Sheet 1 nun/ Wwless ratentecl Apr. 29, 1%24.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE J. RAY, O13 BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS. ASSlZG-NOR, BY ASESIG-NMENTS,

TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION} OE LEA'JFERSON, NEW JERSEY, A COR- PORATION OF NEEV JERSEY.

EU'IPTONHOLE-SE'WING MACHINE.

Application filed August 20, 1917.

To (All ailawn it may concern:

lie it known that I lL UonNi-t J. RAY, a citir-cen oi the United States, residing at Beverly. in the county oi .lJsseX and State of illassachusetts, have invented certain new and. use lul Imprm ements in Buttonhole- Sewinp; l\laehincs-;; and I do hereby declare the following to he a full, clear, and exact tlOSCTlPlJlOll ot the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to buttonhole sewing machines in which a work holding clamp and a rotary stitch forming mechanism are relatively movable to form over-seam stitches along the sides and about one or both ends 3 an eye-ended but'tonhole.

lilac-hines of this type are extensively used in makir buttonholes in the flies or uppers oi button boots and shoes, the work being manually spaced and positioned in the work clamp by the operator between the successive buttonhole making cycles O'f the machine. I t is the primary object of the present invention. to provide a machine tior automatically making a series of eye -ended buttonholes in shoe flies or analogous work, thereby avoiding the delay and inaccuracies incident to manually spacing the work and to manually starting the buttonhole making u'iechanisnis after each cycle, with a resulting; increase in the rapidity and accuracy with which the buttonholes are made and spaced and a decrease in the skill and care required of the operator. To this end a feature oi? the ii'ivention contemplates the provision in a machine having a rotary stitch :lormiug; mechanism and a work clamp relatively movable to sew along; the sides and about the eye o'l. a huttonhole of work spacing mecha-- nism cooperating; therewith to automatically sew a series of buttonholes. In the more modern machines for doing the class ot work referred to the relative movement between the stitch forming; me hanism and the work clamp lengthwise, or lengthwise and laterally of the huttonhole, is secured by movement of the work clamp and another ieature of the invention contemplates the provision in a machine of this type of means for automatically spacing; or feeding the work from one huttonhole stitching po-' sition to another. This feature of the invention is not limited in its application to a Serial No. 137,194.

construction which automatically sews a series of buttonholes, although preferably embodied iii-a construction of this character.

The spacing of the buttonholes and their relative relation to each other and to the edge of the work usually varies with different styles and sizes of shoes, and further features of the invention relate to means by which the spacing or the spacing and positioning mechanisms may be readily set or adjusted by the operator to suit the piece of work to b operated upon.

In addition to the features outlined above, the invention also includes certain further features of construction and combinations of parts which contribute to the simplicity and eiliciency of the machine, and which will he hereinafter described and set forth the claims.

The various features of the invention will readily understood from an inspection of me accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the machine illustrated therein.

In the drawings Figure l is a right-hand side elevation of a machine embodying the arious features of the invention in their preferred forms; Fig. 2 is a left-hand side elevation of the macinc; Fig. 3 is a front elevation. partly in section; Fig". 4 is a vertical section on line 4:, Fig. 5; Fig. 5 is a sectional. plan "-JlGW on line 5 1; Fig. 6 is a vertical section on line 6, Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is a detail. plan view showing a part of the sflriving mechanism for the buttonhole making machine proper; Fig. 8 is a detail sectional elevation on line 8, Fig. 7 Fig. 9 a

detail section on line 9, Fig. 7 Fig; 10 is a detail section on line 10 i 1g. 7 Fig. 11

a sectional detail on line 11, Fig. r; F 1g. 12 is a sectional detail on line 12, Fig. 8'

n p n a k) 7 Fig. 13 is a sectional elevation on line 13, Fig. 1: Fig. 14 1s a detail sectional View on line 14:, Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is a detail plan View of a part of the spacingmechanism; Fig. 16 is adetail of the latch for holding, the clamp of the work carrier in closed position; Fig. 17 is a detail plan view of the work carrier and part of its operating mechanism; Fig. 18 is a detail side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 17 Fig. 1.9 is asectional elevation on line 19, Fig. 17 Fig. 20 is detail plan View of a part of the spacmechanism; 21 is a sectional view on line 21, Fig. Fig. 22 is a detail side elevation showing the counting mechanism for determining the number of buttonholes automatically sewn; Fig. 23 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 22; Fig. 24 is a sectional detail on line 2a, Fig. 22; Fig. is a sectional View on line 25 Fig. 22; Fig. 26 is a sectional View on line 26, Fig. 23; and Fig. 2? is a sectional view on line 27, Fig. 26.

in the drawings the invention is shown si'ihodied in a. machine for making buttonholes i1- which the over Ueain stitches extend along the sides and about io' h ends of the huttonhole, the huttonhole sl it being cut and spread before the sewing lo gins The mal r n is niovah e orally of the buttonhole, arid a stitch forming mechanism which is rotated during the sewing about the eye and about the opposite end of the huttonholc. Th stitch torining mechanism con rises a straight eye-pointed oper needle which is arranged to penetrate work short distance from the edge of the huttonhole slit a curved eye-pointed uner needle which is arranged to pas. up rough the huttonhole slit, and which, at upper end of its stroke, throws out .oon, down through which the upper needle passes, and a looper arranged below the work and oper-atins to a loop of upper i eeolc thread and Ct rry it into such. position i 0 under needle will pass up through ng its up stroke.

s shown the upper needle 2 is secured in lower end of a hollow needle bar 4.- whicn bd. lip

1 my uiper hearing 6 and through a rotary 8 with which the bar is so conne ted it will rotate with the head while being i. e to re .iprocate theretl rough. The i eedlz ha i 'iOl'lllQtl on the sewing shaft 12 and engagiilie rear end of which is sleeve if, on confine oetween collars 20 which may be adjusted to determine the path o'l reciprocation oi the needle. The lever 14 pivotall r supported at 22 on a. link 24 which is free to swing about the slurtt 26 as the lever is oscillated by the canl; 10. The parts are so proportioned that the accurate tinirig of the upper needle with relation to the under needle a id looper is secured through tl coinhine-cl oscillating and bodily swing- Q" inm'ei'ucnts inpparted to the lever 14 by crank and lever supporting link 24;. and the needleinay he reciprocated at high speed without strain or undue wear on the parts.

The under needle and looper, which as shown a re constructed and arranged like the needle and loope of Patent No. 1.134.046, dated lrlarch 30, 1915. are arranged upon s reciprocated by a crank it ol lever 1 the forward e1 connected by links 16 with a L Ll.

needle bar. lhe sleeve is of a reel: lever r0 ll 1' r) :1. end oit he lever ill c n; versal onit with. a hollow l 3*?) which is arranged sulistantiall in the axis oi? the turret. and is connected at its upper end with a lever onv the turre through which the under needle and looper mechanism is actuated, as is more fully disc-10sec in. the patent above referred to. In addit on to the in.

l 1 looper niechanls' der needle and 28 carries the usual throat plate i lded with a needle opening and a guide tr the n-d also provided vith h a gear secured to a ed 4-8. securec to the cam shatt and engaging; a rol. 54.- carried by one arm of a lever 56, the othe arm of which is provided with a gear segment 58 engaging a pinion 60 on the. end of the shaft lhe head 8 is rotated in unison with the t irret through a aft 62, the lower end of which fries a rear (i l; engaging rack teeth 66 on the rack i" l0, and the upper end 01" which is con beve gears 68 with the rear end lit 70, the forward end of which is thread an s ag cord are led to ie turret through the hollow link Ill). and the upper thread is led to the upper needle through the hollow needle harand lhc'usual light tension on the lower end of the needle har. The u r thread leads to the needle liar through a tension device 76 which nur be operated to release the tension at the completion of the sewing. and to re-apply the tension at the beginning of the sewing, through a. verti a lv movable rod 78, the upper end of which acts on the tension device, and the lower end of which bears on a lever 80 which is operated my a cam lug 82 secured to one of the cam discs carried by the cam shaft 52. On its way to the needle bar the upper thread passes through two thread guides 84, and between these guides the thread is acted upon by a thre: d controller 86 carried by the rear end of the crank lever 14:, and corresponding to 14:2 rising from the sleeve.

the thread controller shown and described in Patent No. 1,063,880, dated June 3, 1913.

The work clamps are mounted upon a clamp carriage 8S prtwlded with side flanges having bearing surfaces which fit be tween bearing surfaces formed on the under side oi the base plate 92, and formed on the upper side of the turret bracket and brackets 9 11 secured to the under side of the base plate, indicated in Figs. 3 and 0. Near its forward end the clamp carriage is connected by a pivot bolt 96 with a tulcruin blocl; 98 mounted to slide lengthwise of the buttonhole in a guideway 100 torn'ied in the turret bracket. The clamp carriage is moved longitudinally or length wise oil the buttonhole by a Feed cam 102 secured to the cam shalt 52, and provided with a earn groove engaging a roll 1H4: -arri (l by a lever 106, the lower end of which is connected by a link 108 with a sleeve 110 mounted on the lower end oi. the pivot stud 96. The clamp carriage is moved laterally during the sewing about the eye of the buttonhole by a cain 112 secured to the earn. shaft 59,, and provided with a groove cngiging a roll 11st on the rear end oi the lever 116. The forward arm of the lever 116 is slotted to receive a pivot block 118 which is connected to the rear end oil the clamp carriage by a pivot belt 120 (Figs. 4- and The upper work clamping jaws are carried in the forward ends of clan'ip arrns which are pivoted on blocks 126 adustably secured on the work supporting plates 128, which are in turn pivoted upon the work carriage, so that the may be s-eparated to spread the buttonholc. The devices for retaining and positioning the plates, and for separating the plates to spread the buttonhole, are the same in con strnction the corresponding devices shown and described in Patent No. 1,063,880. The means for closii'ig the clamp is snbstantiall the same in construction as the mechanism shown and described in application Serial ilo 195,948, filed October 16, 1916, and coinprises sleeve 130 secured to a rock shaft 132 and carrying a yoke 13 1 wh" i is pivetally mounted on the sleeve a: o pro vided with arms 131") hearii'w' on the clamp arins 12 1'. The sleeve is lOCKGd to close the clamp through a rock lever 138 mounted to turn on the shaft 132, and having a vertical arm arranged to engage a spring 14-0 which is interposed between the arm and an arm 7 The horizontal arm of the rock lever 188 is arranged to overlie the forward end of a lever li l when the clamp carriage is in its retracted position, as indicated in Fig. 2. The rear end of the lever 1 14: is arranged to be acted upon by a cam 146 secured to the cam disc '50. and operating to roclt the lever to close the clamp Jvhen the cam shaft is started. The movement of the lever 144-. is transmitted to the rock shaft 132 and vol-1e 136 through the lever 138 and spring 140, and the pivoted yoke 136 acts to equalize the pressure on the clamp arms. The clainp held closed during the cutting and sewing by a la tch 148 arranged to engage the lever The latch is operated to release the lever and allow the clamps to open as the clamp czu'riage is moved back into its retracted position by a dog 150 arranged to engage the arm 152 J! 1. I 4 1 J 01 the latch during the bacmnn d movement of the carriage.

The buttonhole slit is out while the clamp carriage is in its retractet position ii a cutter carried on the forward end of a cutter lever 154-, the rear end of which is arranged to be engaged by a earn 156 secured to the cam shaft. The bnttonhole slit is spread during the forward movement or the clamp carriage from cutting to sewing position b v a spreader cain such as shown and described in Patent No. 1,063,880.

The cain shaft 52 is given a single revolution during each cycle of the machine. it is driven at eonniarativelv high speed when the machine is started to close the clamp, to operate the cutter, and to move the clamp carriage. forward from cutting to sewing position, is then driven at acomparatively slow speed through connections with the sewing shatt 12 during the sewing of the buttonlrole, and then again driven at comparatively high speed through "the remainder of its to return the revolut-i on clainp carriage to cutting position, to open the clamp, and to turn the sewing mechanism back towards initial position, the re turn inoveinent being completed during the first part of the rotation of the cam shaft when the machine is started in forming the succeeding buttcnholc. The inechanisn for driving the cam shaft at c snparatively high speed bet'ore and after the sewing comprises a high speed driving clutch ineinber 158 formed on the hub of a 160 which is mounted on the shaft 162 and is continu onsly driven from driving shaft 16-1- through av pinion 166. The clutch member is provided with clutch teeth adapted to be engaged by corresponding teeth on a driven clutch member 168 formed on. one end of a sleeve which is mounted to slide on the shaft 162, and is provided at the other end with a pinion 170 engaging a gear 172 se cured to the cam shatt. The clutch members are engaged and disengaged at the proper times through a yoke 1 7%- secured to a vertical rock shaft 176 and carrying rolls at the ends of its arms which engage an annular groove in the clutch sleeve (Figs. 3, and T to 10). The clutch member 168 is 'l'orced in a direction to engage the clutch nien'ibers by a spring 178 surrounding the bearing tor the shaft 176 and acting on the yoke 174 (Figs. 8 and 10). The rock shaft 176 is actuated to engage and disengage the clutch through an a in 180 secured to the upper end of the shaft, and carrying a spring pressed pin 182 which engages a recess in one arm a. bell crank lever 18% loosely mounted. on the hub of the arr-a 180. An unlatching pin 186 is arranged ll: the lever 1841: above the pin 182 for a purpose to be described. The other arm of the hell cranlt lover 1841 is provided with a gear segn'ient. 188 engaging rack teeth formed in a. bar 100, the inner end of which is ar ranged to be engaged by am ribs 192 and 191 which are secured on tl e hub of the gear 172. A. s; ring 195 forces the rack bar 10 toward the cams. So long as the arm 180 and hell crank lover 184 are connected together by the pin 182, and the bar is in ngagement with either the earn 102- or the 21111 10-1, the clutch member 162 will held in disengaged position. ll hen th. achine is to be started the tripping pin 166 is depressed by the downwaro in r nt of a rod 106, the upper end of whicn carries an arm 198 overlying the pin. The depression of the pin 186 forces the latch ing pin 182 out of the recess in the hell crank lever 18%, that the arm 180 is disconnected from the bell cranl; lever, thus allowing the spring 178 to rock the shaft 176 and engage the clutch inen'ihc During this movement of the rock .ft the latch pin '82 rides under a. flange 200 on the side of the bell crank lever 184:, while the pin 186 is supported on asimilar flange 202 projecting from the opposite the arm 180 (Fig. 11). ll hcn the her 1'00 rides off of the nun 194 during the rotation of the cam shaft, the hell crank lever 184- is swung into position over the arm 180, so that the latch pin 182 re-engages the recess in the hell crank lever. This ire-connects the bell crank leve and arm 180., so that the clutch members will be diseng et when the bar 190 .es up on to the cam rib 1.02, as it. does at the beginning of the sewin and as the bar rides up on t the cant 101-, as it does after the clutch incinsite of hers have been recngagcd at the completion of he sewing and are to he disengaged to l stop the machine.

The cam shaft 52 is driven during the sewing through a pinion 20 1 secured to a shaft 206 and engaging the gear 172. During the time that the gear is being driven both before and after the sewing the pinion 201v registers with a blank space 208 formed on the gear 172, and the pinion and connected mechanism is locked against displacement during this period by a locking plate 210 secured to the side of the pinion and arranged to engage a segmental locking plate 212 secured to the side of the gear. The shaft is driven from the sewing shaft 12 through a vertical shaft 214, the lower end of which carries a bevel gear 216 engaging a similar gear on the shaft 206, and the upper end of which carries a worm wheel 218 engaging a worm 220 on the sewing shaft. In order thatthe speed of the cam shaft w'th relation to the sewing shaft may be readily changed to vary the number of stitches in the buttonholes, the shaft; 214 is mounted in a bearing 222 which is supported to turn on the shaft 206, and the-worm wheel 218 is so mounted on the upper end of the shaft that it may be readily removed and another wheel substituted. 3i. ren'ioiahle hearing block arranged above the worm wheel and engages a retaining hlocl: 226 within. which it may be locked by a locking holt 228.

Tl e driving and stopping mechanisn'i for the sewin shaft con'iprises a. clutch indic: ted at 230, which is the same in construction as the clutch shown and described in Patent No. 1212, 186, dated January 16, 1917, and engaged and disengaged by the rocle iug of a cam sleeve 232 corresponding to the rocking cain sleeve of said patent. The

we is rocked to engage and disengage the clutch through a bell crank lever 23 1-, one

arm of which provided with a gear seginc-ht engaging a gear segment on the cam sleeve, and the other arm of which is arranged to he engaged by a cam rib 236 secured to the side of the gear 172. The bell crank lever is forced in a direction to engage the clutch by a spring operated strut 238 (Fig. 'lhc timing of the clutch disen. ga 'ing mechanism may be adjusted by the operator through an adjusting screw 2&0, the inner end of which is connected with the can] plate with which the cam sleeve 282 cooperates.

A stop pin 2 1 1 which co-operates with a stop cam 246 on the sewing shaft is carried on the upper end of a lever 2 18. The lever is pivoted on a rocking support 250, which is provided with a depending arm 252 acted upon by a spring 25 1- which tends to force the stop pin against the periphery of the stop cam. The lower end of the lever 2413 is arranged to be engaged by a cam which rocks the lever on the support 250 to move the stop pin out of the path of the cam, the lever being rocked to carry the pin into the path of the cam by a spring operated strut The mechanisms thus far described are adapted to automatically cut and sew a buttonhole and then come to rest in initial position. whenever the starting mechanism is tripped, the mode of operation being in general the same as the mode of operation of the machines in commercial use for maxing eye-ended buttonholes in the flies of button s1 In operating machines of this type as heretofore constructed, the operator shifts Ion the worl; in the work clamp from one but tonhoie sewing position to another. and trips the starting uiechanisni after the work has been slii'tted and positioned in the clamp. The plUPGl' and accurate spacing of the buttonholes depends, therefore, upon the skill and care of the operator, and the production of a. machine is to a large extent dependent upon the dexterity ot' the operator. In the machine illustrated, the accurate spacing of the buttonholes is ensured, and the production of the uuu-hine increased, by providing ineaus for automatically Feeding the work troni one buttonhole sewing position to another, and by so constructing and operating these means that a series 01" buttonholes is autonurtically cut. and sewed. In the construction shown the means for spacing or feeding the work from one buttonhole sewing position to ai'iother comprises a work carrier which is mounted on the clamp carriage and is operated to shift the work and position it in the work clamp between successire cycles oi the buttonhole making mechanisms. The work carrier is one form of work spacing means which is constructed to :"u-t on the work adjacent to the sewing point and is, therefore, well adapted for spacing compareti'vely small pieces of work such as this type of machine usually operates on. The work iarrier designed for spacing and positioinng huttonhole flies of shoe uppers either be tore or after they are secured to the uppers, and as shown comprises a base plate 260 provided with a curved edge gage 262 c irrespoiuling substantially to the curvature of the buttonhole fly, and with a slot aiding parallel and adjacent; to the )lexi edge gage and registering with the buttonhole zone of the fiy when in position against the edge gage. The carrier plate is ar ranged to move over the upper surface of the work supporting plate 128 of the work clamp and the base plate oi the carrier between the edge gage 262 and the slot 264 and along the opposite edge of the slot is very thin. so that the work when in position on the carrier is rose to the upper surface of the work supporting plates, and may be lil'illlj. cluinywd by the work clamping jaws. The worl: carrier is provided with means for clamping or holding the work in position which as shown comprises a clamp bar 266 raving one end pivoted to a pivot block 268 which is mounted on the upper side of the carrier. and provided with a series oi spring clamping tin rs 2'?!) which are arranged to engage the v orli and press it against; the upper surtace oi? the carrier along the outer ed ot the slot 2 l l hen the clamp har 36b swung down into work holding position its tree end passes betwen two positioning lugs and latched in position by a yielding latch finger 274-. The latch finger may be operated to release the bar by a handle 1/76 (Fig. 16). In order that the buttonholes may be properly positioned with relation to the edge of the work, the path of movement of the carrier transversely of the clamp carriage and of the buttonholes is de termined by two guideways 278 and 280 formed on the carrier and engaged by guide rolls 282 and The shape and curvature of the guideways will depend upon the curvature ot' the edge 262 and upon the relation which the buttonholes are to bear to the edge of the work. As shown in Fig. 17 the guideways are shaped and arranged to so position the work in the work clamps that the buttonholes will be formed substantially at right angles to the edge gage 262 and to the edge of the buttonhole fly held in the carrier. The roll 282 is mounted upon the upper end of a post 286 which rises from the clamp carriage and projects through a slot formed in one of the supporting plates 1:28. The guide roll 284 is carried on the end of an arm 288 projecting from a cam plate 290 which is mounted upon the clamp carriage, and will be again referred to. The means for actuating the work carrier to space the buttonholes comprises a rack 292 mounted to reciprocate on a. guide rib 294 which is formed on the clamp carriage (Figs. 17, 18 and 19). The rack bar is provided with an arm 296 the end of which is pivotally connected to a block 298 arranged to slide in a gnideway 300 formed in the base plate of the carrier.

The'rack is engaged by a gear 302 which is driven from a worm wheel 304: through mechanism which varies the increment iinparted to the gear in accordance with the path of n'ioven'ient oil? the wor; carrier, so that: the l'QqlllSllQ increments given to the carrier to equally space the lmttonholes ahinig the irregularly curved edge of the work. The connections between the uni tornily moving worm wheel Sti land the gen r 302 are also so constructed that they may be uncoupled or disconnected to permit the movement of the work carrier into position to piwu erly locate tl a first buttonhole in the series to be sewed. As shown in 1? to 21, the worm wheel 30% niounted upon a stud, 306 secured in the clamp carriage, and the gear 302 is provided with a hub loosely mounted on the hub oi the worm wheel and connected with the rim of the gear by the arms 308. The connections between the worm wheel and gear comprise a couoling or clutch ununber 310 in the form of a bar mounted on the hub of the worm wheel and provided at its ends with conical clutch Faces adapted to engage a conical clutch t'ace inv the upper side of the worm wheel. The clutch be r is norn'ially forced into cngagement with the worn'i wheel by a clanqving nut 312 screwed on to the upper end of the worm wheel hub and projecting up through the cam late The upper end of th clamping nut is provided with a hunt. 7- head by which it may be manipulated in clamping and releasing th clutch bar. T he clutch bar is provided with a laterally pro jecting arm 31%, the upper end of which carries a c ank pin 316 which is connected by two arms or links 318 and 320 to a crank pin 322 on one of the arms 308 of the gear 802. The pivot pin which connects the links 318 and 320 carries a roll 3% 'hieh engages a cam groove 328 formed in the under side of the cam plate 290. Motion is transmitted from the worm wheel 304: to the gear through the links 318 and 320, and this movement is varied by the action of the am groove 328 on the links to increase or diminish the movement imparted to the gear in accordance with the curvature of the path of movement oil the work carrier. In case carriers having ditl'erent paths of n'ioveinent to suit work of widely varying curvature are to he used, the cam plate 290 must he changed so that the cam groove 328 will correspond to the curvature of the path or movement of the arrier. To permit the cam plate to be readily changed it is secured upon the clamp carriage by the screws 330 and dowel pins 332.

The worm wheel 30 i is intermittently rotated through a worm secured a sh t, 336 which is connected by gears 338 with a shaft 340. T he shaft 340 is mounted on the clamp carriage, and is driven from a shaclt 342 which is also mounted on the clamp carriage and is given, a single rot tion he tween successive huttonhole making cycles by mechanism mounted on the machine frame and connected with the shaft. through a coupling to he hereinafter d scrihed. in order that the movement imparted to the work carrier, and therefore the spacing of the huttonholes may be varied to suit the piece of: vork being ope ated upon, the mechanism through. which motion is transmitted from the shaft 34-2 to the shaft 3 10 is so constructed that it may he r adily adusted by the ope *ator to ary the movement given to the shaft 3&0 by each complete rotation of the shaft 342. As shown, this mechanism comprise. a ratchet wheel 34%|; secured to the end oi the shaft 8i, and a feeding pawl carried by an arm secured to the end of the shaft and arranged to he held in engagement with the ratchet wheel by a spring 350. The pawl is provided with a tail piece 352 which is ar'anged to ride over a controller plate 35% during a part of the revolution of the shaft the controller plate being arra ged to hold the pawl out o't engagement with the ratchet wheel. The controller plate is provided with a series ot pawl-engaging surfaces which are of ditl'erent lengths, and the plate is so mounted that it may he adjuster to bring required pawl-engaging surface into the path of the tail piece As shown in .e igs. the controller plate is carried not bar which is i i a pinion secured to a shaft 3ft.

The operating handle iltil: is within ouvcnient reach of the operator so that the controller plate i ii ma;- he i'ti llli 'i' and quickly the i'ecding or 10 holes may he 'aduatcd icing corrcspoiulrug to an n desirable.

l I in the machine ill. Frated the work rar rier is automatically returned to initial position li ittl the completion of a series or lnittonholes and this movement is effected by a everse rotation of the shalt 349, through a nuiniaer of r volutions corresponding to the number of buttonholes which have been autonnitically sewn. The i'nechanism through which the reverse rotation of this shaft transmitted to the the sha'tt ratchet wheel 34st, and a returning pawl 372 mounted upon an arm 3T4: seemed to the end of the shaft 34-2 and held normall. in engagement with the ratchet wheel 81 0 by a spring 376. In order that the same movement ma he imparted to the shaft 340 and to the work cirrier during both the feeding and reverse rotations of the she. 342, the returning pawl 372 is provided with a tail piece 378 arranged to travel in the same path through which tl e tail piece 352 ot the s 'iacing pawl travels. During the reverse rotations of the shaft therefore. the returning pawl travels over the same pawl-engging surface on the controller plate whicl was engaged by the pawl during the spacing of the huttonholes. Both pawls therefore have the same extent (it idle travel dur ing each rotation of the shaft 3%12 in either direz-tion. and the return movement of the carrier will therefore he the same as the s niein n'iovenieut in stwvinga series oi lmttonholes.

The mechanism .ting the work soaring 370 secured to ot the spacing tor automationlly actu- 1 means, and for controlling the buttonhole making mechanisms to sew a series of huttonholes and then return the work carrier to initial position, is mounted on the machine base and comprises a shaft 386 wnich is so a ranged that it is in line with the shaft 342 on the clamp carriage when the clamp carriaee has been moved to its retracted position at the completion of the huttonhole making cycle (Figs. 1, 3, l3, and 22 to 26). At this time the shaft 380 is coupled to the shaft 342 by a coupling comprising a tongue 382 secured on the end of the shaft 380, and engaging a slot 884 formed in a sleeve secured to the end of the shaft 342, the tongue and slot being arranged to be engaged. and disengaged by the travel of the clamp carriage lengthwise of the buttonhole. The mechanism for rotating the shaft 380 to feed and. return the work carrier comprises two reversely rotating bevel gears 386 and 388 loosely mounted on the shaft 380 and provided with two clutch nien'ibers adapted to be ei'igaged by a clutch 390 arranged "between the gears. The clutch is connected with the shaft by a polygonal sleeve 392 which is pinned to the shaft so that the shaft will rotate with the clutch while the clutcn is free to move into engoment with either of the gears. The gears 886 and 388 are continuously driven .in opposite direction through a bevel pinion 394 secured to the forward end of a shaft 396, the rear end of which carries a gear 398 engaging a gear 400 which is secured to the constantlyrunning gear 160. The mechanism for shifting and controlling the clutch comprises a yoke 402, the arms of which carry shoes 404 engaging an annular groove in the clutch (Figs. 23, 26 and 27 The yoke is mounted upon a stud 406, and is provided with a laterally projecting arm 408, the outer end of which is toothed to engage corresponding teeth in an arm 410 secured to the end of a rock shaft 412. The rock shaft carries an arm 44.4, the end of which is provided with two Vshaped notches 416 adapted to be engaged by a spring pressed pawl 418 which tends to shift the clutch in either direction, according to the notch with which the end of the pawl happens to be in engagement. Normally the pawl tends to shift the clutch into engagement with the gear 386 which is driven in the proper direction to advance or feed the work carrier. The clutch is controlled by a counting mechanism which detern'iines the number of b-uttonholes which. shall. be automatically sewn. before the buttonhole making mechanism stops and the work carrier returned to initialv position. This counting .l'lQfl'lttIilSlll cornyn'ises a toothed wheel, 0 which is provided with a number oi teeth corresponding to the greatest number of buttonholes which the machine is adapted to sew. The counting wheel so arranged that the teeth on the wheel engage the end of an arm 422 secured on the rock shaft 41.2 and normally hold the clutch in neutral position. against the pressure of the spring pawl 41.8, the end of the arm normally resting on the high part of a tooth, as indicated in 22. The toothed wheel. 420 is moved sufficiently ceeding buttonhole cut and sewed.

the movement of the clamp carriage into its retracted position. As shown in Figs. 1. 22 and 23 the pawl 424 is mounted in an arm 426 secured to the end or" a rock shaft 428, the opposite end of which carries an arm 430 arranged in the path of a finger-4 32 which is secured to the clamp carriage. The pawl is mounted to slide in the arm 426 and is held in active position by a spring 434. When the clamp carriage advanced at the beginning of a buttonhole making cycle, the finger 432 moves to the left in Figs. 1 and 22 and disengages the arm 430, so that the shaft 428 may be rocked by spring 436 which acts upon an arm depending from the shaft. This movement of the rock shaft carries the pawl 424 over the end of tooth in the wheel 420 and into active position in. front of the tooth. When. the clamp. carriage returns to its initial position at the completion of a buttonhole making cycle, the finger 432 engages the arm 430 and rocks the shaft 428 into the position indicated in l ig. 22, thus actuating the pawl 424 to slightly advance the toothed wheel 420. This movement of the wheel carries the tooth which has been supporting the arm 422 tron'i under the end of the arm, so that the work spacing clutch is engaged effect the spacing of the work. When the spacing clutch is engaged it remains in engagement during asingle revolution ot the shaft 380, and is then disengaged by a forward movement of the toothed wheel 420 su'tlicient to bring the high part 011 another tooth under the end of the arm 422, the tooth acting to swing the arm and return the spacing clutch to initial position. The revolution of the shaft 380 not only spaces! the work, but italso actuates the n'iechanisn'i which, as the spacing is completed, automatically trips the high speed clutch of the buttonhole making mechanisms, so that after the work is spaced the work clamp is automatically closed and the suc- The mechanism through which this is accomplished. comprises a wheel 42-18 which is connected with the toothed wheel 420 and is provided with a series oi. toothed portions 440 separated by locking segments 442, the series 0'! toothed portions and the series o't locking segments corresponding in numher to the number of teeth in the toothed wheel 420. The Wheel. 4338 is advanced a step as the shaft 380 completes each revolution through a disc 444 secured to the end of the shaft 380, and provided with teeth 446 for engaging the toothed portions of the wheel 438, and with a locking segment 4.418 co'operating with the locking segments 442. in order that the toothed wheel 42 may be slightly advanced by the pawl l2 lthe manner above described, while the wheel s38 is locked by the locking segment on the end of the shaft 380, the wheel 420 is mounted'to turn on the hub of the wheel 438, as indicated in Fig. 25, and is provided with a stud 450 arranged to be held in engagement with an ad: istable stud -;l-52 on the wheel 4:38 by a spring 4154:. The means for automatically tripping or starting the luittonhole making mechanism at the completion of the spacing ot the work comprises a toothed wheel ii; secured to the rear side of the wheel ii-i8 and arran ed to act upon a pawl 458 which is connected to actuate the tripping rod 196. The pawl 458 is mounted arm 4-60 secured to one end of a in rock sh t 62, the other end of which carries an arm 464 which is connected by a link 4.66 to one arm of a bell crank lever e68. The oth r arm of the bell crank lever carries a roll are engaging a slot- 472 in the lower end of the tripping or starting rod 196 (Figs. 1, 7 and 8). The tripping or starting rod and, the pawl carrying arm 460 are held in normal position by a spring 47% which supports the rod in its raised position with its arm 198 above the tripping pm 186 heretofore described. The pawl 458 is mounted to slide in the arm 460, and is held yieldingly in its advance or active position by a spring 41-76. The pawl normally stands in the position indicated in Fig. 22 with its outer end in the path of the teeth on the toothed wheel 4-56, the teeth of which are arranged to face in a direction opposite to that in which the teeth of the wheel 420 face. During the latter part of the advance movement of the wheel 4-38, which occurs as the spacing shaft 380 completes its revolution, one of the teeth on the wheel 4:56 engages the end of the pawl 458, and as it passes the end of the pawl, rocks the shaft 462 to depress the starting rod 196 and thereby engage the high speed clutch 16:?- ot the buttonhole making mechanisms. The shaft 4:62 is rocked to depress the starting rod 196 in starting the machine to make the first buttonhole through a handle 4578 which projects from the arm 460 on the end of the shaft, and is in convenient position to be manipulated by the op erator.

After the machine is started by the operator, as above indicated, the controlling mecln anism operates in the manner above described to throw the spacing mechanism into operation after each buttonhole is completed, and to throw the buttonhole making mechanisms into operation after the spacing neoaosa has been completed, the actuating wheel 38 and the two controlling toothed wheels e f-3O and 156 being advanced a step between successive buttonhole making cycles. The advance movements of these wheels continue until a stopping and reversing cam or tooth L82 engages the clutch controlling arm 422 and swings the arm beyond the neutral position indicated in Fig. 22, thus rocking the shaft 4-12 so that the arm diet is raised su'liiciently for the spring pawl e 18 to engage the lower notch in the arm and thus shift the clutch 390 into engagement with the reversing gear 388. This discontinues the spacin and also the advance of the controlling dish L56, thereby stopping the automatic throwing into operation of the buttonhole making mechanism. The shaft 380 will then be driven in a reverse direction to return the work carrier to its initial position, and during this reverse rotation the controlling wheels will be rotated step by step in a reverse direction to initial position, which is indicated in Fig. 22. As the wheels come into this position an arm elSd which is adjustably secured to the wheel 1-38 engages the upper side of the clutch controlling arm i422, swinging the arm into neutral position and thus disengaging the clutch 390 from the reversing gear and shifting the arm ll l so that the spring pressed pawl 418 again engages the upper notch in the arm, the clutch controlling arm 422 being arrested and retained in neutral position by the en 'agement of its end with the high point or the initial tooth on the toothed wheel 4320.

In order that the number of bnttonholes which are automatically made before the work carrier is returned to initial position may be varied as found desirable, the revers ing cam tooth 482 is so mountedthat it may be adjusted into position to follow any one of the teeth on the toothed wheel 4-20. s shown, the cam tooth is formed on an arm $86 which is mounted to turn on the stud ass upon which the controller wheels are mounted. The arm is provided with a spring pressed locking pin 4-90 which may be engaged with any one of a series of holes 492 formed in the outer face or the toothed wheel 420 and corresponding to the teeth of the wheel. The locking pin is provided with a head which is within (-i'mvenient reach of the operator, and by which. the operator may conveniently adjust and position the reversing tooth to determine the number of buttonholes which are to be automatically made in the work carried in the work arrier. The positioning holes are so arranged that the reversing tooth will be held in position directly following one of the teeth on the wheel 4:20, so that when this wheel. is given its slight forward movement by the action of the pawl 42% as the clamp carriage comes 

